Drumhead.



PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907.

I. H. SAPP.

DRUMHEAD.

APPLICATION rmzn JULY10.1006.

aaL'jZS'app, IVENTOR By W WITNESSES: I

A TTORNE Y5 m: NORRIS FETCRS (20., WAs u Ncmu, n. c

PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC HUDSON SAPP, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

DRUMHEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1907.

Application filed July 10,1906. Serial No. 325,523.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Isaac llonson SAPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a new and useful Drumhead, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to musical instruments and more particularly to drums.

its object is to provide novel means for mounting the drum head upon the shell of the drum said means permitting the heads to be easily and quickly placed upon the drum shell rendering the drum heads stiffer and stronger, and greatly improving the tone produced.

Heretofore in the construction of drum heads it has been customary to utilize what is known in the art as flesh hoops and the skin constituting each drum head has been wound upon one of these hoops after which said head is stretched by forcing the hoop over the end of the shell and then holding it in proper position by means of a plain counterhoop to which suitable tightening means ase fastened. This construction has been found to be very undesirable for the reason that the head often pulls off of the flesh hoop when subjected to considerable pressure and the counterhoop, being minus of anyreinforcing means, often breaks and thereby renders the drum useless.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the objections incident to such a construction.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawin s is shown the preferred form of the invention.

In said drawings. Figure l. is an elevation of a portion of a drum showing parts of the counter-hoops in elevation; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the drum head and counterhoop and showing the same in position on the drum shell; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the reinforcing and securing band.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 is the shell of the drum on which is stretched a drum head 2 the edge portion of which is folded over one edge of a counterhoop 3 and across an annular groove 4 formed in the outer face of said counterhoop near said edge. A. cord 5 is tied around the counterhoop and over the edge portion of the head so as to hold said edge portion within the groove 4 and. said edge portion is folded back over the cord as shown at 6. A counterhoop or ban (1 7 preferably formed of heavy wire is placed around the fold 6 and has one end threaded as shown at 8 and slidably mounted Within an ear 9 at the other end. A nut 10 is arranged on the threaded portion and by rotating it the band '7 can be clamped upon the folded portion 6 of the head 2 so as to clamp it with the cord 5, tightly into the groove 4. The drum head is thus tightly secured to the counterhoop and can not possibly be removed therefrom without unfastening the band '7. The head is adapted tobe placed over the end of the shell 1 and by drawing the counterhoop upon the shell by means of any suitable tightening devices the head will be drawn tightly over the end of the shell. This construction obviates the employment of flesh hoops such as heretofore used in the formation of drums and therefore the device is greatly simplified and strengthened. The band 7 serves not only to clamp the head upon the counterhoop but also reinforce said hoop. By eliminating the flesh hoop and thereby reducing the area of the overlapped portion of the shell the tone of the drum is greatly improved, and this tone is maintained because it is absolutely i1npos sible for the head to slip from any part of the counterhoop when subjected to pressure.

The preferred form of the invention has been set forth in the foregoing description but I do not limit myself thereto as I am aware that modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and 1 therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a counterhoop having an annular groove, a head stretched upon the hoop, means for binding the head within the groove, said head being folded over said means, and a clamping device surrounding the folded portion of the head.

A device of the character described comprising a counterhoop having an annular groove therein, a head upon the hoop, means surrounding the hoop for securing the marginal portion of the head within the groove, said portion being folded over said securing means, and a reinforcing band adjustably secured around the hoop for clamping the forward portion of the head within the groove.

23. A device of the character described comprising a counter-hoop having an annular groove therein, a head upon the hoop, means for securing the marginal portion of the head within the groove, said portion being folded upon said means, and an adjustable band surrounding the hoop for clamping the folded portion thereof into the groove.

4. In a drum the combination with a shell of a counter hoop surrounding the shell and having an annular groove therein, a head stretched upon the shell and overlapping the hoop, means for securing the marginal portion of the head within the groove, said portion being folded upon said means, and an adjustable band surrounding the hoop and clamping the folded portion of the head within the groove.

5. lhe combination with a counterhoop having an annular groove therein; of a head overlapping one edge of the groove, a cord for securing the head Within the groove, the marginal portion of said head being folded over the cord, a band surrounding the folded portion of the head and having an ear at one end, the other end of said hand 10 being threaded and slidably mounted Within the ear, and

means upon the threaded portion of the band for coritracting the band to clamp the cord and the folded p0rtion of the head into the groove.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC HUDSON SAPP.

Witnesses:

MARY FRENCH BUCKINGHAM, CARRIE GOLDEN LOWNEY. 

